Genesis 40:16

16 And when the chief of the bakers saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.

Genesis 40:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 40:16

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good,
&c.] Meaning not that it was right and just, though it was; but that it was agreeable and pleasing, and portended good in the event; and therefore hoped a like interpretation would be given of his dream, and this encouraged him to tell it, which perhaps otherwise he would not have done: he said unto Joseph, I also [was] in a dream;
or had a dream, and in it things were represented to his mind as follows: and, behold, [I had] three white baskets on my head;
which were made of wicker, of rods that had the bark pulled off, and so were white; or which had holes in them, baskets wrought with holes, after the manner of network; though some think this denotes not the colour or form of the basket, but of the bread in them, and interpret the words, baskets of white bread, as Saadiah Gaon, and so the Targum of Jonathan, baskets of most pure bread, and the Targum of Jerusalem, baskets of hot bread; this dream was very agreeable to his office and business as a baker.

Genesis 40:16 In-Context

14 Only bear a remembrance with thee of me when it goes well with thee, and deal kindly, I pray thee, with me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house;
15 for indeed I was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
16 And when the chief of the bakers saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.
17 And in the uppermost basket there were all manner of victuals for Pharaoh that the baker makes, and the birds ate them out of the basket upon my head.
18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation of it: the three baskets are three days.

Footnotes 1

The Darby Translation is in the public domain.